Can metal hose replace hydraulic hose?

At the right pressure, yes — but at room temperature a spiral rubber hose is lighter, more flexible and cheaper. Metal is the choice where temperature, fire, permeation or an all-metal requirement rules rubber out.

What is a compressed corrugation?

A corrugated core whose convolutions are pressed close together after forming, so each supports its neighbour under pressure. It raises the rating at the cost of flexibility.

Do high-pressure metal hose ratings change with size?

Yes. Our listed figures are the headline for the smallest size; the rating falls as the bore rises, and we quote the figure for your size.

Are high-pressure metal hoses suitable for sour service?

Most in our range are listed as NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 compliant. Confirm the specific model and request the certificate.

Industrial hose

High-pressure metal hose: compressed corrugations, extra braid and 414 bar

Metal hose reaches hydraulic pressures by changing the corrugation and adding braid. How the high-pressure constructions differ, what they give up in flexibility, and where they beat a rubber hydraulic hose.

Written by: Ayush Bhatia, Director
Published: 6 October 2026
Reading: 4 min · 3 sections
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A double-braided high-pressure metal hose with heavy forged end fittings installed on a test rig — High-pressure metal hose reaches its rating with compressed corrugations and extra braid.

At a glance

Key takeaways

Three levers raise metal hose pressure: compressed or closed-pitch corrugations, more braid layers, and heavier wall.
Our high-pressure range: up to 414 bar (Thorburn S98Z, S99Z), 380 bar (Hose Master Stresstite), 350 bar (S50HD, Senior Flexonics Pathway HP).
All are listed −200 to +650 °C, with 316L or 321 cores, and most as NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 compliant.
More pressure means less flexibility: respect the larger bend radius and keep movement to one plane.
Metal beats rubber hydraulic hose where temperature, fire or permeation rule rubber out — not as a general substitute.

Figures verified 6 October 2026 · Constructions, headline pressures, sizes and certifications checked against our high-pressure metal hose listings.

A standard braided metal hose tops out at a few hundred bar in its smallest size. Getting to hydraulic pressures takes a different core: corrugations squeezed together so each convolution supports its neighbour, heavier closed-pitch profiles, and two or three layers of braid. The result carries pressures a rubber hose cannot at temperatures a rubber hose cannot survive — and pays for it in stiffness.

/01How the pressure is reached.

A corrugation under pressure tries to balloon outward and stretch lengthwise. Compressing the corrugations after forming packs them tightly so each one is supported by the next; a closed-pitch or omega profile does the same with a heavier section. The braid then restrains the core, and a second or third layer of braid shares the load further. Our Thorburn S98Z and S99Z are fully compressed annular cores with double and triple braid respectively; the S50HD is a compressed helical core with a double 316 braid; the S69 is a closed-pitch omega annular core.

High-pressure metal hose in our range (headline, smallest size)

Hose	Construction	Up to	Sizes
Thorburn S98Z (316L or 321)Highlighted	Fully compressed annular, double braid	414 bar	DN6 – DN100
Thorburn S99Z (316L or 321)	Fully compressed annular, triple braid; nuclear CRN-rated	414 bar	DN6 – DN100
Hose Master Stresstite	321 core, double braid	380 bar	DN6 – DN100
Thorburn S50HD (316L or 321)	Compressed helical, double 316 braid	350 bar	DN25 – DN150
Senior Flexonics Pathway HP	316L core, double 316L braid	350 bar	DN10 – DN100
Thorburn S69	Closed-pitch omega annular, 321, single braid	230 bar	DN6 – DN100
Thorburn S81	316L annular, double braid	200 bar	DN6 – DN100

/02What it costs in flexibility.

Compressed corrugations and extra braid make a stiffer hose with a larger minimum bend radius. A high-pressure metal hose is not a flexible connector for a moving machine; it is a connection that absorbs misalignment, thermal growth and vibration in a fixed installation. Route it with generous bends, keep movement in one plane, never twist it at installation, and make up the second end with a union or a floating flange.

/03Where metal beats rubber.

At room temperature a spiral rubber hydraulic hose — our R13 holds 350 bar at every size from −12 to −32, our R15 holds 420 bar — is lighter, more flexible and cheaper than any metal hose at the same pressure. Metal earns its place where rubber is ruled out: sustained temperatures above rubber's limit (our metal hoses are listed to +650 °C), fire exposure, cryogenic service, media that permeate or attack elastomers, and installations that require an all-metal leak path. In those, it is the only flexible option.

Frequently asked questions

Can metal hose replace hydraulic hose?: At the right pressure, yes — but at room temperature a spiral rubber hose is lighter, more flexible and cheaper. Metal is the choice where temperature, fire, permeation or an all-metal requirement rules rubber out.
What is a compressed corrugation?: A corrugated core whose convolutions are pressed close together after forming, so each supports its neighbour under pressure. It raises the rating at the cost of flexibility.
Do high-pressure metal hose ratings change with size?: Yes. Our listed figures are the headline for the smallest size; the rating falls as the bore rises, and we quote the figure for your size.
Are high-pressure metal hoses suitable for sour service?: Most in our range are listed as NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 compliant. Confirm the specific model and request the certificate.